After 39 years of service to individuals in crisis, CONTACT Pittsburgh will be closing its doors and ceasing operations by the end of September. Many factors went into making this difficult decision. There has been a shift in the mental health community, including changes in the way services are provided, as well as a shift from reactive to proactive services. The crisis work that was once so dominant in the mental health field has now been absorbed into a holistic mental health environment. In addition, the core of CONTACT Pittsburgh's service delivery relies on a group of volunteer Crisis Line Specialists which has been declining over time. Finally, the challenging economic conditions have caused a decrease in funding from traditional funding sources.
Because of the work of CONTACT Pittsburgh on behalf of individuals in crisis, we have helped raise the bar of mental health services and awareness of suicide and emotional crises. If you are in need of immediate emotional support or are suicidal, contact the other hotlines in our community: re:solve Crisis Network (1-888-7-YOUCAN), the Allegheny County Peer Support Warmline Network (1-866-661-WARM) and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-TALK).
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
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